The Twelfth: Orange Order parades take place across NI (2024)

Published

11 July 2024

The Orange Order and hundreds of marching bands are taking part in more than 550 parades across Northern Ireland to mark the Twelfth of July.

The annual parades mark the Battle of the Boyne, when William of Orange - also known as King Billy - defeated King James II in 1690.

Parades must be lodged to the Parades Commission and approved in advance.

The commission has imposed restrictions on a contentious march on the night of 12 July in north Belfast close to the Ardoyne shopfronts.

Across Northern Ireland, about 4,000 police officers are on duty, which is approximately two thirds of the force.

The cost of the policing operation for the Twelfth period last year was more than £4m.

Although there has been some tension around the parade route in north Belfast, the police said last month they did not detect “an appetite for disorder”.

An agreement, dating back to 2016, ended the dispute in the Ardoyne area but it collapsed three weeks ago.

Efforts have since been made to try to defuse the tension and avoid any confrontation.

The grand secretary of the Orange Order, Rev Mervyn Gibson, told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster radio programme he didn't see "any appetite for violence, certainly not from our side and I don’t think from any sides".

"We want a peaceful day and for everyone to enjoy it, so I wouldn’t see any difficulties today but it needs to be sorted out quickly after he Twelfth of July," he added.

"This is a day when hundreds of thousands of people will be out to see the parades, tens of thousands of Orangemen and bands will parade right across Northern Ireland and people want to enjoy themselves."

However, he added: "I have to be honest, I think relationships are probably the worst they’ve been in about 20 years.

"There are a whole lot of factors for that – political agitation around calls for a United Ireland and other things."

The Orange Order says that around 600 marching bands would be involved in Friday's parades.

The order's grand master Edward Stevenson, said it would be an “impressive spectacle”.

Mr Stevenson said: “Across the 18 venues, we will have tens of thousands of men, women and young people taking part in an event which has been faithfully maintained for well over 200 years.

“Many thousands more will line the streets of host cities, towns and villages.

"There is simply no other event on these islands that can bring such vast numbers of people onto the streets as our processions, either by taking part or simply to watch them go by.”

The order's Rev Gibson said the institution is in a "great position".

"For the first time in many years our membership is increasing – our junior movement increased by 40% last year," he said.

"We’re seeing more and more activities throughout the year – we’re not a one day a year organisation and there’s a massive growth in Orange activity around the country."

Thousands of people are lining the streets of Carrickfergus for the East Antrim demonstration.

Forty bands are marching alongside around 60 lodges from the town and further afield.

Assembly member Cheryl Brownlee helped organise the Carrickfergus celebrations and is walking with the Alison Memorial 206 lodge.

“We are a town that is so proud to host this event. It’s phenomenal for the town”.

She is walking alongside her daughter Brooke,12.

The women of Carrickfergus WLOL 7 have spent weeks preparing for the Twelfth.

Linda Laughlin said she is delighted to see the parade "back where it belongs in Carrick” and that it "represents our religion and our heritage".

Linda is with her sisters, daughter and granddaughters but she says that the women from her lodge "are all my sisters too.”

The Twelfth is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland.

Banks and some businesses will be closed on Friday 12 July.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has released information on traffic closures and disruption expected on Friday and Saturday which can be found on its website. , external

In Belfast, the main Twelfth of July parade started at 10:00 BST from the Orange hall in Carlisle Circus and will move towards Belfast City Hall, where a wreath-laying ceremony will take place.

The parade was due to move along Donegall Square North, Donegall Square West, Bedford Street, Dublin Road, Shaftsbury Square, Bradbury Place, Lisburn Road, Balmoral Avenue and Malone Road.

At 15.30 BST, the main parade will start its return journey back to Carlisle Circus, where districts will branch off to their own areas.

In Londonderry, 57 Orange lodges from eight districts were due to make their way through the city centre accompanied by 36 bands before parading to the field in the Waterside.

Victor Wray, from City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge, said he expected about 3,000 people to take part.

The main parade departed from Glendermott Road (end of Bonds Street) at 11:30 BST. It was expected to have arrived in Wilton Park for 14:00 BST.

Richard Heatherington is the Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada and among those taking part.

He told BBC News NI it’s been a life-long ambition to parade in Derry.

“It’s been a dream come true for myself and the rest of the Canadian contingent. I have always wanted to parade in Londonderry, the Maiden City and now today I get the chance.

He added: “We are a world wide family and I get to share this moment with my brothers that I may never see again”.

Translink has said bus and train services across Northern Ireland wouldl be operating on holiday timetables on 12 and 13 July, with local rail and enterprise services operating on the current summer timetable.

Translink has warned that due to parades and road closures some stops will be missed on bus routes and advised passengers to check its website, external.

The locations for the 18 main demonstrations include Londonderry, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Newtownards, Ballygawley and Moneymore.

The longest parade, a 12-mile return trip, is from north to south Belfast, via the city centre.

The largest gathering will in the village of Killylea in County Armagh.

The Twelfth demonstrations taking place include:

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